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Book Reviews

God Speaks

Letters for Us

God is known to speak in mysterious ways, often using surprising people to communicate his messages. In biblical times, the Word of God might come through a shepherd, or a virgin, or a hermit who ate locust and honey. By the time these messages found their way from oral tradition into book form, God’s editors were at work polishing the language and translations. God’s “letters” in Ross R. McGuckin’s heartfelt book need similar editing.

McGuckin, a former associate pastor of a non-denominational church, and author of A Journey, brings God’s message of love, the Golden Rule, and how to have a close relationship with the Creator into a conversational format that should appeal to readers who are seeking a personal, approachable God.

McGuckin writes: “I typed the words he gave and found that God has a since (sic) of humor, doesn’t like mans (sic) religion’s, loves us all, wants the best for us, yet allows us our choices, as they are ours alone.”

The letters often start with “Hey You,” “Hi My Friends,” or “Hello Again.” The letters then take on many topics, such as why bad things happen, anger, depression, telling the difference between truth and lying, organized religion, and love.

The imagery is often vivid, such as when the letter entitled “Pig Slop or the Feast” touches upon being lost and then found. “None of the things you have done, could ever take away the love I have for you,” God says.

Just as God’s love searches out and welcomes home the prodigals, so mankind should treat others. “So when you see a person out there hanging on the cliff, would you watch them fall if you think they have wronged you? Or would you regardless of what they may have done reach out to them, to save them from themselves?”

In one letter, God says that reincarnation is a hoax. “That is almost as good as the Muslims saying that if they martyr themselves they will be rewarded with virgins in paradise. Well, roll the dice on that and all you will get is snake eyes and we all know who the snake is, right.”

The letters indicate that God doesn’t believe in evolution, otherwise monkeys would have continued to evolve and acquire the ability to talk. He also is distressed by the numerous religious denominations, including non-denominational churches. He finds it disturbing that people claim they are part of the “only true church in heaven.” They are liars, according to the letters. The letters also fold God and Jesus into one being as God often speaks of his, not his Son’s, experiences on earth.

Unfortunately, the letters are replete with misspellings and punctuation problems: “No flesh will parish,” “religious babel,” and “religious believes,” “sheppard boy,” and “make a lot of since,” are typical examples.

There are worthwhile nuggets in the letters that might help readers enjoy a more personal relationship with God, once they get beyond the distracting errors.

Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The author of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the author will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.